Sunday, December 11, 2016

Florida: Sheriff's deputies spent hours freeing horse from swamp, but it was too late

FLORIDA -- A 16-year-old horse was euthanized Thursday night after Pinellas County sheriff's deputies spent hours helping to free it from a swamp, according to the agency.

The Sheriff's Office said deputies were called to 3755 Quail Forest Drive around 1:05 p.m. Thursday, where the horse — a Percheron named Kushca — was trapped in a cypress swamp behind a stable at the home.

When the deputies arrived, Kushca was stuck in four to five feet of mud, deputies said.

The Sheriff's Office said deputies worked for more than two hours with 54-year-old owner David Christopher to free Kushca, who weighed 2,000 pounds.

Despite being freed from the pit, Kuschca was unable to stand on its own.

The horse was suffering from exhaustion in addition to stress from a pre-existing medical condition. A veterinarian was called to the scene and Kushca was humanely euthanized Thursday night, deputies said.

The horse was believed to have been grazing near the swamp when it became trapped in the mud.